Excerpt + Giveaway + Review: Happy Pub Day to "Hating the Boss" by Kristen Granata!

I am very happy to be participating in the release day blitz for Kristen Granata's latest novel, "Hating the Boss."  My original post on Monday did not include a review of the book because I was unexpectedly scheduled for surgery that day, but I have now edited this post to include my full review below.  In short, I loved this book and highly recommend it.  It is a laugh-out-loud romp featuring likeable, sympathetic characters and two of my favorite romantic tropes, enemies-to-lovers and workplace romance. 

For a chance to win your own, signed copy of "Hating the Boss" from the author, click here!  (Giveaway closes on October 5.)

About "Hating the Boss"

One night.

That’s all it was supposed to be.

Imagine my surprise when Mr. Sexy in a Suit breezed through the door on the first day of school.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet my new boss.

Not only does he instantly recognize me, but he accuses me of stealing something valuable from him the morning I walk-of-shamed out of his apartment.

When bullying me into a confession doesn’t work, he turns my life into a living nightmare – as if that will coax me into returning what I supposedly stole.

But this is my school, and the only thing I’ll be returning is payback.

Game. On.

There’s only one problem. I wanted him before I hated him, and even now, a part of me still wants him. Somehow, through all of our fighting, through the anger and the pranks, I think I’m falling in love with the enemy.

Read an Excerpt from "Hating the Boss"

I’ve been out of my office for most of the day. There must be a full moon coming tonight because the kids in this school are feral. I’ve had to sign off on six conduct reports and three incident reports.

At one o’clock, I fall into my comfy rolling chair behind my desk. My door is closed, and I’m hoping to catch up on e-mails and make a dent in this paperwork piled high on my desk.

I place my hand on my mousepad, feeling around for the mouse.

What the …?

Where’s the damn mouse?

I check under my desk and inside the drawers, but it doesn’t take too long for realization to set in.

“Goddamnit.”

I tear open the door and stomp down the hallway.

Raegan’s at the whiteboard in her classroom in the middle of a math lesson. She doesn’t look surprised when I barge into her room and start searching through the drawers in her desk.

She does, however, look like a cat who’s been caught with a mouthful of bird.

With a bounce in her step, she waltzes over to me. “Good Afternoon, Principal Waters. Can I help you? What is it that you’re looking for?”

Glancing at the class briefly, I give her a hard stare and smile. “You know exactly what I’m looking for.”

“I can assure you that I don’t.”

I edge closer to her, lowering my lips to her ear. Her warm, sweet scent wafts into my nostrils, and I fight the urge to run my nose along her neck. Focus, Waters. Jesus. “Give it back, or things are going to get a lot worse for you around here.”

Her eyes blaze as they lock with mine. She closes the gap between us, her chest almost pressed flush against me, and she whispers, “You don’t scare me.”

A shiver racks through my body. I can’t decide if I want to strangle her or fuck her right here on her desk. I’m starting to gain a better understanding of people who have a choking fetish.

“Hi, Principal Waters!” Hannah’s waving at me with Joshua at her side.

I clear my throat and straighten my tie. “Hi, Hannah. Hello, class. I hope you’re all having a great day full of fun and learning.”

Raegan chokes back a laugh as she saunters back to the whiteboard.

Laugh it up now. You won’t be laughing for much longer.

My Review

I loved Kristen Granata's "Hating the Boss," a laugh-out-loud contemporary romance featuring two of my favorite tropes, enemies-to-lovers and workplace romance.  The banter between main characters Jaxon and Raegan was phenomenal, and the pranks they played on each other, while somewhat immature at times, were hilarious.  Jaxon and Raegan were both well-developed and likeable characters, and I found it easy to sympathize with both of their points of view.  I really appreciated the author's choice to tell the story from both of their perspectives because it made the reasons for their misunderstandings clearer, and added more depth to the narrative.

I also enjoyed Raegan's interactions with her friends and fellow teachers, especially Becca.  They were so supportive of each other while at the same time being comfortable enough to tease each other, which led to some pretty funny conversations.  Their interactions reminded me of good times with my own friends, which made me love this story even more.

Overall, "Hating the Boss" was a well-written and entertaining book that I highly recommend.  I would absolutely read more of this author's work in the future.

*ARC provided by the author via InkslingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Review: The Write Escape

The Write Escape by Charish Reid

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Charish Reid's "The Write Escape" was a witty and charming story featuring likeable, sympathetic characters and a lovely setting in Ireland. I have wanted to visit Ireland for a long time, but reading this book with its descriptions of the country's beautiful scenery and welcoming residents made me even more anxious to start planning my visit!

The book's main characters, Antonia and Aiden, were well-developed and likeable, and I found myself chuckling at their banter as they got to know each other. They both seemed a little lost in the beginning, but as the story progressed, each seemed to become more confident about their life choices and find their way towards a better, happier future. Aiden and Antonia seemed to bring out the best in each other, and I really enjoyed watching their story play out.

I am not generally a fan of "insta-love" plots, and given the short timeframe over which this story unfolded, I was afraid that the romance would turn into exactly that. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Aiden and Antonia's relationship development felt very natural and organic, not rushed, and when they exchanged "I love yous," I believed in the feelings behind the words. There was clearly an attraction between these characters from the beginning, but it seemed to be as much an intellectual attraction as a physical one, which I appreciated.

Overall, "The Write Escape" was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

*ARC provided by the author via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

View all my reviews

Happy Book Birthday to Leddy Harper's "The UnEXpected Plan"

Happy book birthday to Leddy Harper's latest novel, "The UnEXpected Plan"!  I am happy to be participating in the release blitz celebrating this sweet, sexy story featuring lovable, relatable characters and a fun romance between main character Brooklyn and her best friend's older brother, Corbin.

About "The UnEXpected Plan"

He was only supposed to make my ex jealous...not make me fall in love with him.

When I discovered that my boyfriend had cheated on me with his assistant, and then left me for her, my friends and I devised a plan—to make him pay.

It was simple.

It was foolproof.

Or so I thought.

Corbin Fields was my best friend’s older brother; he was also part of my revenge plan. It was brilliant...until the unexpected happened.

I was supposed to be getting over my ex...

Not getting under my best friend’s brother.

My Review

"The UnEXpected Plan" is the first book I've ever read by Leddy Harper, but it definitely won't be the last.  I really enjoyed this story and found the main characters, Corbin and Brooklyn, to be well-developed, likeable, and very relatable.  Corbin seemed like a great guy despite his workaholic tendencies.  Even though he didn't recognize it at first, he needed something more in his life besides work, and reconnecting with Brooklyn, his younger sister's best friend, came at exactly the right time.  Brooklyn shook Corbin out of his stale routine and helped him to create balance in his life.

As for Brooklyn, I couldn't help but admire her for persevering in the face of her mother's illness and managing to put herself through school without help from anyone.  She was clearly a very strong and independent young woman, and her passion for and commitment to teaching was wonderful.  At the same time, I hated how desperately Brooklyn seemed to want to get back together with her cheating ex-boyfriend, Chase.  Given the loss of her mother and the relatively few close friends she seemed to have in her life, however, it was easy for me to understand why it might be terrifying for Brooklyn to suddenly lose even a crappy boyfriend like Chase.  Even so, she deserved better, and the way Corbin treated her was certainly a huge improvement.  I appreciated that Corbin realized how special Brooklyn was and went out of his way to make her life better, even when she didn't want to accept his help.

I enjoyed the secondary characters in this book as well, particularly Nellie, Corbin's younger sister and Brooklyn's best friend.  At times, Nellie came across as somewhat selfish and immature, but she seemed to grow up towards the end of the book as she learned that it was possible to share Brooklyn with her brother.  I think there's potential for Nellie to mature even more, and I could easily see her being featured in a future story of her own.

Overall, "The UnEXpected Plan" was an entertaining read, and I would recommend it.

*ARC provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Blog Tour + Giveaway + Review: "Make Me Fall" by Ember Leigh

I am super excited to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of Ember Leigh's latest novel, "Make Me Fall," the second book in the Bayshore series. I recently read the first book in this series and loved it, so I was really looking forward to reading book #2.  Thankfully, it not only lived up to my expectations, it exceeded them.  My full review of "Make Me Fall" is included later in this post, but in short, I highly recommend both books in this series, though they are each completely standalone and do not need to be read in order. 

For a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card from the author, Ember Leigh, click here! (Giveaway ends on October 10.)

About "Make Me Fall"

There’s one rule in my family.

Stay away from the Daly brothers.

We were raised to know them as users. Manipulators. But I only ever saw Connor as the enigmatic senior hottie who dropped into fifth period to teach us about the perils of drunk driving.

So when my first big girl job out of college ends up with us working at the same company, it’s heart throb city all over again. Except he’s way ahead of the game. Successful, talented, put together. I’m just a frumpy twenty-something in a quarter life crisis who doesn’t know a glue stick from a makeup highlighter.

He would never want me, even though he’s all I ever wanted in secret. So when we cross paths one night at the bar and one drink leads to another, he slaps me with an offer I can’t refuse.

Accompany him back to Bayshore, flight included.

Only stipulation? Pose as his girlfriend.

Our families will flip, but I’m not strong enough to say no to those baby blues, especially if it means I’ll have a chance to spend the next two weeks with my adolescent heart throb.

My Review

As stated earlier, I loved "Make Me Fall".  Part of the story's timeline overlaps with the first book in the Bayshore series, "Make Me Lose", but both books are completely standalone, so readers won't feel lost by starting with book #2.  That said, I highly recommend reading book #1 anyway because it adds a nice bit of context to the events of this story, plus it's just so darn cute and funny on its own. 

I love the fake relationship trope, and it's done really well in "Make Me Fall".  There is some added spice here since the families of the main characters, Kinsley Cabana and Connor Daly, have been enemies for years.  Connor and Kinsley were raised to dislike and mistrust each other, but despite that, they can't fight their attraction and end up falling in love anyway.

I found Kinsley and Connor to be very likeable and well-developed main characters.  Kinsley, especially, was a delight, and it was a pleasure watching her evolve over the course of the book into the more confident version of herself I knew she could be from the start.  She was so sweet and funny, though awkward at times, with a wonderful snarky side that I adored.  Kinsley's ex-boyfriend and evil boss nearly destroyed her self-esteem, but her relationship with Connor helped give her the perspective she needed to get it back. 

The secondary characters in this book were also a lot of fun, especially the other Daly brothers.  I can't wait to see what the author has in store for them in future books!

*ARC provided by the author via InkslingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Excerpt + Giveaway + Review: "Not Suitable for Work" by Skye McDonald

I am very excited to be participating in the book blitz celebrating the release of Skye McDonald's debut novel, "Not Suitable for Work," the first book in the Anti-Belle series.  I've included a full review later in this post, but in short, I really enjoyed this book and absolutely recommend it.  The writing is very mature, especially for a debut novel, and I found it to be very easy to read.  I've always loved both the enemies-to-lovers and workplace romance tropes, and this novel manages to capture both of those themes superbly.

For a chance to win your own, signed copy of "Not Suitable for Work" along with a Nashville-themed swag bag from the author, click here!  (Giveaway ends October 3.)

About "Not Suitable for Work"

The competition is stiff. The stakes are high. And what happens on Halloween night is definitely not suitable for work.

Celeste Greene and Ben Addison didn’t realize the internship-to-hire opportunity was actually a contest, but neither of these talented web designers can afford to walk away.

After betrayal destroyed her fabulous life in New York City, Celeste moved home to Nashville, Tennessee broke and broken. Restarting her career is her only goal. An ice queen who drove her partner to cheat can’t even think about friends or fun. Celeste’s talent and desperation should make the competition an easy win—if only she could stop gawking at her rival long enough to concentrate.

Ben Addison doesn’t want to be a corporate climber or live in a high-rise downtown. He just needs a steady paycheck after foolishly investing everything in a pretty face and a shot at a music career. He has no business fantasizing about his competitor, even if she is the most stunning—and guarded—woman he’s ever met.

This contest can’t rival the chemistry between these two, but is the risk worth the reward? With a haunting past and her future on the line, Celeste must decide what she wants, what she needs, and what her heart is really worth.

Read an Excerpt from "Not Suitable for Work"

I heaved a sigh and pushed off the cushion, shuffling blind down the hall to brush my teeth. It was only 9:00, but exhaustion and the look on my mother’s face haunted me. I crawled into the sheets, where ideas and questions tumbled around in my head in a jumbled mess.

Give me a truth... I’m fine. Once this job sorts itself out, life can begin again. I’m not hiding, I’m... playing to my strengths. I’m better alone. I can focus. Know yourself. Your business is you.

But, as always, my thoughts turned back to That Day—the day I blew it, the day Derrick taught me the hardest truths of my life.

Stop. Don’t. Don’t think about it. Don’t go there again. I gripped my arm tight and braced against the memories I couldn’t control, could never forget. Something new. Think of something, anything else. My nails dug into my skin as I searched my mind and landed on…

Ben.

Wonder where he is tonight, what he’s doing? Is he drinking Jameson? Is he thinking of me? Definitely not, but still. What if he was? And why are you holding your elbow so damn tight?

My grip slacked, and blood began to flow again. It had been such a nothing move, only a means to stop me from driving home tipsy, but the memory of his hand wrapped around my arm made my skin tingle.

"Give me a truth."

In the dark, alone, the truth was this: I wanted him to touch me again.

My Review

As stated above, I very much enjoyed this book.  I adored both main characters, especially Celeste, and found them both to be well-developed and incredibly likeable.  It was easy to empathize with Celeste's emotional journey following the events that caused her to leave NYC and move back home to Nashville.  Ben was amazingly supportive of Celeste despite their competition for the job at Tenn Star, as well as the fact that he was recovering from a tough break-up of his own.  Both Ben and Celeste deserved to be treated better by their partners than they had been in the past, and I couldn't help but cheer them on to their HEA.

This story also featured great secondary characters, especially Nick, James, Sarah, and Liv.  I could easily see any one of them being featured in future stories.  In addition, the relationship between Celeste and her parents was super cute.  I loved how supportive they were of her, and how nicely they welcomed Ben into the fold.     

Overall, "Not Suitable for Work" is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Ms. McDonald in the future.

*ARC provided by the author via Xpresso Book Tours.  All opinions expressed are my own.